• The Secret to Simplifying Your Scale with Michael Ritsema
    Jun 2 2026

    What if growing your business actually made life LESS stressful?

    In this episode of Your Business Growth Podcast, Jeremy Shapiro interviews Mike Ritsema, CEO of i3 Business Solutions, about how he scaled a struggling IT services company into a $10M+ recurring revenue business through acquisitions, specialization, and operational systems.

    Mike shares the difficult realities behind entrepreneurship:
    ✔️ Maxing out personal credit lines
    ✔️ Going months without taking a paycheck
    ✔️ Surviving the 2001 tech recession
    ✔️ Watching 9/11 unfold while fearing the business would collapse
    ✔️ Navigating the Great Recession and COVID
    ✔️ Managing complicated business partner buyouts

    Instead of slowing down, Mike leaned into growth and built a stronger company through recurring revenue, acquisitions, and organizational focus.

    In this episode, we discuss:
    ✔️ Why buying a business can outperform starting one from scratch
    ✔️ The hidden operational cost of employees wearing multiple hats
    ✔️ How specialization improves service quality and execution
    ✔️ Why recurring revenue transformed the company
    ✔️ The operational benefits of scaling beyond 50 employees
    ✔️ How acquisitions simplified leadership responsibilities
    ✔️ EOS, Traction, and operational accountability systems
    ✔️ Why referrals remain the highest-quality lead source
    ✔️ Building premium service businesses with stronger margins
    ✔️ The value of peer groups, masterminds, and mentorship

    Mike also shares lessons on:
    ✔️ Leadership during economic uncertainty
    ✔️ Scaling service-based businesses
    ✔️ Delegation and operational clarity
    ✔️ Managing company culture after acquisitions
    ✔️ Why lifelong learning matters for entrepreneurs

    👉 Connect with Michael Ritsema and learn more about i3 Business Solutions:
    * i3 Business Solutions: https://i3bus.com/
    * Michael Ritsema on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeljritsema

    📘 Hosted by Jeremy B. Shapiro, Author of Your Business Growth Playbook ( https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/ )

    Chapters:
    00:00 On the Brink
    01:11 From IBM to Ownership
    02:32 Buying Not Starting
    05:37 Early Struggles and 9 11
    09:16 Recession Pivot and Plateau
    11:41 Too Many Hats
    13:43 Partner Buyouts and Recurring Revenue
    16:58 Bored Then Bought a Rival
    20:46 Scale With Less Stress
    24:30 Systems and Priorities
    26:02 Weekly Priority Discipline
    26:47 Client Value Over Noise
    27:23 Networking for Acquisitions
    28:25 Merging Company Cultures
    30:56 One Role One Rock
    34:27 Specialization at Scale
    36:20 Pricing Power and Saying No
    38:07 Scaling Advice and Mentors
    41:50 Peer Groups and Benchmarks
    43:56 Owner KPIs for Growth
    45:36 Rapid Fire Takeaways
    47:37 Unlikely Mentor Story
    49:34 Wrap Up and Where to Connect

    Keywords: Mike Ritsema, Jeremy Shapiro, recurring revenue, IT business, managed services, EOS, Traction, business acquisitions, entrepreneurship, business systems, MSP growth, leadership, scaling a business, service business growth, business strategy

    #businessgrowth #Entrepreneurship #RecurringRevenue #Leadership #BusinessStrategy #Podcast

    Want to be a guest on Your Business Growth Podcast? Send Jeremy Shapiro a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/your_business_growth_podcast

    🔔 Subscribe today to get notified of new episodes, interviews, and shorts when they drop!

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    51 mins
  • The Pivot to 4x Revenue with Len May
    May 26 2026

    What happens when your company hits $10 million in revenue… but profits barely move?

    In this episode of Your Business Growth Podcast, Jeremy Shapiro interviews entrepreneur and EndoDNA founder Len May about the exact shift that transformed his business from a struggling direct-to-consumer model into a scalable B2B healthcare company.

    Len shares how:
    ✔️ Rising advertising costs nearly stalled growth
    ✔️ Social media platforms repeatedly shut down campaigns
    ✔️ Customer acquisition became increasingly expensive
    ✔️ COVID disrupted events and distribution channels
    ✔️ Revenue continued growing while profitability stayed flat

    Then came the breakthrough: Instead of selling directly to consumers, Len shifted the business scaling the company from $10 million to $40 million in annual revenue.

    In this episode, we discuss:
    ✔️ Why some high-revenue businesses struggle financially
    ✔️ The hidden downside of direct-to-consumer models
    ✔️ The power of B2B partnerships and white-labeling
    ✔️ How recurring revenue transformed the company
    ✔️ Why customer lifetime value matters more than single sales
    ✔️ Using AI and machine learning in healthcare
    ✔️ Personalized medicine and genomic testing
    ✔️ How doctors became an extension of the sales team
    ✔️ The role of customer feedback in product innovation
    ✔️ ADHD, entrepreneurship, and unconventional thinking

    Len also shares lessons on:
    ✔️ Scaling healthcare technology companies
    ✔️ Building onboarding systems for clinics
    ✔️ Leveraging affiliate products for additional revenue
    ✔️ Creating feedback loops with customers
    ✔️ Why entrepreneurs should stop waiting for perfect execution

    👉 Learn more about Len May and EndoDNA:
    * EndoDNA's website: https://endodna.com/
    * Len May on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lenmay/

    📘 Hosted by Jeremy B. Shapiro, Author of Your Business Growth Playbook
    https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/

    Chapters
    00:00 Profit Stuck at 10M
    01:12 Len May Origins
    02:29 Cannabis as Medicine
    03:54 Early Hustles to Real Estate
    05:36 Dispensary Opportunity
    07:15 Genetics Lightbulb
    09:21 Launching EndoDNA
    10:30 Building the DNA Test
    12:51 Patents and Global Growth
    14:25 Marketing Shutdowns and COVID
    15:46 Stuck Phase Breakdown
    17:09 Doctor Call New Pivot
    19:56 Practitioner Distribution Model
    22:28 White Label Intel Inside
    23:28 AI Platform for Doctors
    26:01 Guardrails and Compliance
    27:45 Getting Doctors to Commit
    28:42 Charging For Utilization
    29:36 Skin In The Game
    30:24 Genomics To Shopping Cart
    32:19 Affiliate Catalog And Feedback
    33:59 B2B Pivot To Scale
    36:06 Epigenetics Recurring Testing
    39:25 Clinical Trials Data Flywheel
    42:30 Neurodivergence As Advantage
    46:43 KPIs Sales And Satisfaction
    49:06 Rapid Fire And Wrap Up

    Keywords: Len May, EndoDNA, Jeremy Shapiro, personalized medicine, genomics, healthcare AI, B2B growth, business strategy, direct to consumer, white label business, entrepreneurship, epigenetics, recurring revenue, functional medicine, startup growth

    #entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Healthcare #AI #Genomics #podcast

    Want to be a guest on Your Business Growth Podcast? Send Jeremy Shapiro a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/your_business_growth_podcast

    🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with founders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders sharing real lessons on growth, leadership, and building sustainable companies.

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    54 mins
  • Profit Over Ego with Jon Chintanaroad
    May 19 2026

    What happens when a business doing six-figure months is secretly collapsing behind the scenes?

    In this episode of Your Business Growth Podcast, Jeremy Shapiro sits down with entrepreneur Jon Chintanaroad for a brutally honest conversation about scaling too fast, chasing vanity metrics, taking on massive debt, and rebuilding a business from the ground up.

    Jon shares how he:
    ✔️ Left recruiting to start his own business
    ✔️ Scaled through coaching programs and paid ads
    ✔️ Joined high-level masterminds chasing “million-dollar months”
    ✔️ Took out a $350,000 SBA loan to keep the business alive
    ✔️ Ended up buried under nearly $800,000 in debt
    ✔️ Faced bankruptcy and devastating personal consequences

    But this episode is also about recovery and rebuilding.

    After the collapse, Jon completely changed his approach to business:
    ✔️ Lean operations
    ✔️ Profit-first financial systems
    ✔️ Organic LinkedIn marketing
    ✔️ Smaller, higher-quality client relationships
    ✔️ Lifestyle-focused entrepreneurship
    ✔️ Systems built around freedom and peace of mind

    In this episode, we discuss:
    ✔️ Why revenue means nothing without profit
    ✔️ The dangers of copying “successful” business models blindly
    ✔️ How mastermind culture can create unhealthy pressure
    ✔️ The emotional toll of debt and entrepreneurship
    ✔️ Why many founders are secretly struggling financially
    ✔️ How organic content became his most reliable lead source
    ✔️ The power of simplicity and sustainable growth
    ✔️ Why boring businesses are often the healthiest businesses
    ✔️ The mindset shift from “more” to finding your sweet spot

    This is one of the most transparent entrepreneurial conversations you’ll hear — packed with practical lessons for founders, agency owners, coaches, consultants, and anyone trying to build a sustainable business.

    👉 Connect with Jon Chintanaroad :
    • Recruiting Launch: https://recruitinglaunch.com/

    📘 Hosted by Jeremy B. Shapiro
    Author of Your Business Growth Playbook https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/

    Chapters:
    00:00 Debt-Fueled Cold Open
    01:00 From Recruiter to Agency Owner
    01:50 Internet Money and Group Coaching
    05:03 Six-Figure Months and Smoke Mirrors
    06:49 The Numbers Reveal the Cliff
    07:49 SBA Loan Spiral to Bankruptcy
    14:03 Living With Debt Anxiety
    15:22 Family Reckoning and Therapy
    19:30 Finding Your Sweet Spot
    21:23 Guardrails Accountability and Profit First
    24:43 Subscribe Break and Extra Life
    25:21 Why Lean Beats Big Overhead
    28:55 Cash Ads and Boring Business
    30:41 Boredom Means Stability
    32:00 Prove the Model First
    32:43 Organic LinkedIn Engine
    34:09 DIY Before Delegation
    38:55 Authentic Brand Voice
    42:36 Profit First Lifestyle Design
    44:35 Sweet Spot Sales Calls
    47:44 Hybrid Done For You Offer
    53:41 Scorecards and KPIs
    57:31 Rapid Fire Wrap Up

    Keywords: Jon Chintanaroad , business bankruptcy, entrepreneurship lessons, SBA loan failure, business debt, Profit First, Jeremy Shapiro, recruiting business, organic marketing, LinkedIn outreach, coaching business, startup burnout, business turnaround, Your Business Growth Podcast

    #Entrepreneurship #BusinessGrowth #Startup #ProfitFirst #Podcast #BusinessLessons

    Want to be a guest on Your Business Growth Podcast? Send Jeremy Shapiro a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/your_business_growth_podcast

    🔔 Subscribe for more conversations with founders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders sharing real lessons on growth, leadership, and building sustainable companies.

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    1 hr
  • Zero-Cost Sales Strategy - Sam Berman (LARC) on Scaling a Napkin Sketch into Logistics
    May 12 2026

    Jeremy Shapiro interviews Sam Berman, founder of LARC, on building a zero-cost sales strategy and how a restaurant napkin sketch evolved into global logistics. Hear practical tactics for creating a low-cost sales engine, early customer acquisition, and operational scaling — actionable takeaways for founders and growth-stage entrepreneurs.

    What happens when you realize a billion-dollar industry is still operating with outdated systems and nobody is willing to fix it?

    In this episode of Your Business Growth Podcast, Jeremy Shapiro sits down with Sam Berman, founder of LARC, to break down how a restaurant napkin sketch evolved into a global logistics and engineering company trusted by some of the world’s largest technology and data center operators.

    After years working in Silicon Valley, Sam saw major problems in industrial packaging and logistics:
    ✔️ Expensive wood crating systems
    ✔️ Slow deployment times
    ✔️ Massive sustainability waste
    ✔️ Product damage during shipping
    ✔️ A complete lack of innovation

    Instead of accepting the status quo, Sam and his team spent years iterating, engineering, and refining a completely new approach.

    That shift led to:
    ✔️ Strategic partnerships with global logistics giants
    ✔️ Massive growth in the data center industry
    ✔️ Packaging-as-a-service innovation
    ✔️ Better protection for high-value technology
    ✔️ Reduced shipping and operational costs
    ✔️ A brand so recognizable customers now say “Lark it”

    In this episode, we break down:
    ✔️ How the original idea came from a restaurant napkin
    ✔️ Why disrupting old industries takes patience
    ✔️ The reality of long product development cycles
    ✔️ How partnerships accelerated growth
    ✔️ Why founders need resilience during isolation and uncertainty
    ✔️ How LARC became a trusted engineering solutions provider
    ✔️ The importance of first-mover advantage and IP protection
    ✔️ Why solving real customer problems creates loyalty and scale

    If you’re a founder, entrepreneur, startup operator, or business owner building something difficult and long-term, this episode offers real lessons on resilience, partnerships, and category innovation.

    👉 Connect with Sam Berman:
    • LARC: https://larc.co/
    • Sam Berman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuelberman/

    📊 Hosted by: Jeremy B. Shapiro, Host and Author, Your Business Growth Playbook

    Chapters:
    00:00 Build It Promise
    00:49 Podcast Welcome
    01:06 Napkin Sketch Origin
    03:28 Reinventing Crating
    05:37 Packaging As Service
    08:03 Early Validation Wins
    09:35 Funding And Iteration
    11:16 Surviving The Long Road
    15:56 First Major Data Center Deal
    18:32 Secure Tech Breakthrough
    19:21 Solutions Drive Loyalty
    21:11 Partner Led Growth
    26:25 Landing Logistics Giants
    27:54 Defending the IP
    28:26 First Mover Moat
    29:48 Verbified Brand
    32:26 Partners Drive Growth
    35:59 Deal Backstops
    38:02 Empire Not Exit
    39:38 Founder Survival Mindset
    42:45 Fail Faster Lessons
    46:36 Rapid Fire Wrap
    47:53 History as Mentors
    50:52 Recap and Where Next

    Keywords: Sam Berman, LARC, logistics innovation, startup founder, supply chain, packaging solutions, data centers, logistics partnerships, engineering startup, hardware startup, entrepreneurship, packaging as a service, business growth, Jeremy Shapiro, Your Business Growth Podcast

    #podcast #Entrepreneurship #Startup #Logistics #BusinessGrowth #SupplyChain

    Want to be a guest on Your Business Growth Podcast? Send Jeremy Shapiro a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/your_business_growth_podcast

    🔔 Subscribe today to get notified of new episodes, interviews, and shorts when they drop!

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    52 mins
  • Beating the AI Threat with Wes Towers
    May 5 2026

    What happens when your business valuation comes back far lower than expected because AI is threatening your entire industry?

    In this episode of Your Business Growth Podcast⁠, Jeremy Shapiro sits down with Wes Towers, founder of Uplift 360, to break down how a shocking valuation forced him to rethink his agency.

    Wes had built a successful web agency, but the business was still too dependent on him, margins were tightening, and custom projects were becoming harder to scale. Then came the wake-up call: the market saw his agency as vulnerable to AI disruption.

    Instead of ignoring the warning, Wes rebuilt the business.

    That shift led to:
    ✔️ 60% recurring revenue
    ✔️ Higher-margin service delivery
    ✔️ Stronger niche positioning
    ✔️ Faster project turnaround
    ✔️ Better internal systems
    ✔️ Less founder dependency
    ✔️ His most profitable year yet

    In this episode, we break down:
    ✔️ Why AI forced Wes to rethink his agency model
    ✔️ How niching into construction changed his positioning
    ✔️ Why taking the wrong clients can destroy margins
    ✔️ How productized services made delivery easier
    ✔️ Why recurring revenue changed the business
    ✔️ How AI can support better workflows
    ✔️ Why removing services can create more growth

    If you run an agency, service business, or founder-led company, this episode will help you think differently about focus, systems, and long-term value.

    👉 Connect with Wes Towers:
    • Website: https://uplift360.com.au/
    • Wes Towers on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/westowers/
    • Wes Towers on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Uplift360Aus
    • Wes Towers on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@westowers
    • Wes Towers on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/uplift_360/
    • Wes Towers on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@uplift_360/streams
    • Wes Towers on X: https://x.com/uplift_360

    📊 Hosted by: Jeremy B. Shapiro, Host and Author, Your Business Growth Playbook

    Chapters:
    00:00 Niching Painful Lessons
    00:48 AI Threat Wake Up Call
    01:14 Show Intro And Guest
    01:46 Wes Origin Story
    03:24 Finding The Trade Niche
    05:02 Lifestyle First Growth Plan
    06:50 Plateau And Margin Squeeze
    09:16 Valuation Shock Explained
    11:23 Personal Brand Exit Risk
    12:44 Team Led AI Overhaul
    15:17 Exit Mindset And Systems
    17:15 Niching Horror Story
    20:42 Productized Website Frameworks
    24:17 Pricing Power And Delegation
    25:53 Maintenance Saves Clients
    27:05 AI Content Workflows
    28:31 SEO Automation With Rank Math
    31:50 Recurring Revenue Stability
    35:00 Niche Attracts Bigger Clients
    37:33 Standardizing Delivery With ClickUp
    40:16 Eliminate Low Value Work
    44:00 Mentors And Decisive Focus
    46:13 Rapid Fire Growth Questions
    50:39 Wrap Up And Where To Find Wes

    Keywords: Wes Towers, Uplift 360, web agency growth, recurring revenue, business valuation, AI in business, niche marketing, construction marketing, digital agency, productized services, agency systems, founder dependency, SEO, service business growth, Jeremy Shapiro, Your Business Growth Podcast

    #podcast #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #DigitalMarketing #AgencyLife #RecurringRevenue

    Want to be a ⁠guest on Your Business Growth Podcast⁠? Send Jeremy Shapiro a message on ⁨PodMatch here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetail/your_business_growth_podcast

    🔔 Subscribe today to get notified of new episodes, interviews, and shorts when they drop!

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    52 mins
  • Small Clients Big Money with Albert Butler
    Apr 28 2026

    What happens when the biggest contracts in your business are actually slowing you down?

    In this episode of Your Business Growth Podcast, Jeremy Shapiro sits down with Albert Butler, a CPA and business advisor, who shares how chasing large government contracts nearly limited his firm’s growth—and what happened when he shifted focus instead.

    Albert built his career working across multiple industries before stepping into a firm heavily focused on government proposals. While these contracts looked prestigious, they required massive effort, long timelines, and high risk—often delaying revenue and draining resources.

    Instead of continuing down that path, Albert made a bold decision—shift focus to smaller, high-value clients with faster turnaround and stronger relationships.

    That shift led to:

    ✔️ 3X revenue growth

    ✔️ Faster sales cycles (months to weeks)

    ✔️ Higher profit margins

    ✔️ Stronger client retention and referrals

    ✔️ Long-term, lifetime customer relationships

    In this episode, we break down:

    ✔️ Why large contracts can limit business growth

    ✔️ The hidden cost of long sales cycles

    ✔️ How to reduce customer acquisition time

    ✔️ Building a client-for-life business model

    ✔️ Why accounting is the heartbeat of business

    ✔️ The mindset shift from transactions to relationships

    If you're a business owner, consultant, or service provider chasing big deals but struggling with growth, this episode will challenge how you think about profitability, scale, and focus.

    👉 Connect with Albert Butler:

    • Albert Butler on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@albertbutlercpa

    • Albert Butler on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/butleralbert

    • Albert Butler on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/albertbutlercpa

    • Albert Butler on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577977890720

    • Albert Butler's Book: https://www.amazon.com/LIFE-Success-Failure-Quotes-Advice-ebook/dp/B0FKGJD7LD


    📊 Hosted by: Jeremy B. Shapiro, Host and Author, Your Business Growth Playbook


    Chapters:

    00:00 Proposal Pain Points

    00:59 Meet Albert Butler

    01:46 Origin Story Accounting

    03:11 Entering Government Contracts

    06:00 Client Experience Matters

    07:24 Partner Disagreements

    08:43 Partner Exit Buyout

    12:58 New Growth Strategy

    15:26 ROI And Sales Cycle

    20:57 Training Team Shift

    23:24 Heartbeat Framework

    24:28 Accounting Heartbeat

    25:46 Tripling Through Niche

    27:44 Client For Life

    29:15 Legacy Life Strategy

    32:13 Margins And Value

    34:35 Purpose Over Money

    35:53 Plan Act Review

    37:58 Hire Better People

    39:06 Retention Referral Metrics

    43:14 Rapid Fire Wrap Up

    45:05 Final Recap And Links

    Keywords: Albert Butler, accounting business, CPA growth, small business strategy, client retention, business scaling, profit growth

    #podcast #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #Accounting #SmallBusiness

    Want to be a guest on Your Business Growth Podcast? Send Jeremy Shapiro a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/your_business_growth_podcast

    🔔 Subscribe today to get notified of new episodes, interviews, and shorts when they drop!

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    47 mins
  • The Path to Nine Figures with Shawn Boehme
    Apr 21 2026

    What happens when your team is working harder than ever—but your revenue refuses to grow?

    In this episode of Your Business Growth Podcast, Jeremy Shapiro sits down with Shawn Boehme, a sales leader in cloud communications, who shares how poor alignment across product, sales, and marketing nearly stalled his business—and what happened when he fixed it.

    Sean started his career during the early days of cloud communications, joining a fast-growing company and riding the wave of VoIP adoption. But as competition increased and the pandemic accelerated the market, growth stalled despite increased effort and hiring.

    Instead of accepting the plateau, Sean made a bold decision—realign product, redefine the ideal customer, and restructure the entire offer.

    That shift led to:

    ✔️ 20%+ growth after a complete plateau

    ✔️ Quadrupling overall revenue

    ✔️ Higher close rates (up to 50% inbound)

    ✔️ Reduced churn by nearly half

    ✔️ Stronger alignment across teams

    In this episode, we break down:

    ✔️ Why high activity doesn’t equal high growth

    ✔️ How misalignment silently kills revenue

    ✔️ The importance of defining your ideal customer profile (ICP)

    ✔️ Why product should lead sales strategy

    ✔️ How tiered pricing increases deal size and revenue

    ✔️ Leveraging partnerships as scalable lead sources

    If you're a business owner, sales leader, or entrepreneur stuck in a growth plateau, this episode will reshape how you think about scaling, alignment, and execution.

    👉 Connect with Shawn Boehme:

    • Panterra Networks: https://www.panterranetworks.com/

    • Shawn Boehme on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-boehme-72934469/

    📊 Hosted by: Jeremy B. Shapiro, Host and Author, Your Business Growth Playbook

    Chapters:00:00 Doing More With Less00:24 Podcast Setup And Guest Intro01:08 Sean's Origin Story03:50 Why Pantera Networks05:18 Early Cloud Growth Years06:29 Pandemic Plateau Hits09:06 Sales Team Morale And Poaching11:05 Redefining ICP And Offer14:28 Product Led Alignment Wins17:45 New Seat Tiers Drive Revenue20:05 Cutting Team And Value Pricing21:42 Pivot Toward Channel Sales22:46 Channel As Lead Source24:32 Hybrid Sales Model25:34 Scaling With Owners28:48 Product As North Star30:39 Differentiation Boosts Close33:17 Churn Cut In Half38:07 Metrics And Feedback40:02 Hindsight Customer Engagement41:20 AI Content Lead Gen42:48 Books And Mentors45:12 Wrap Up And Subscribe Keywords: Shawn Boehme, sales growth, SaaS sales, business scaling, cloud communications, VoIP, sales leadership, product market fit, revenue growth strategies, ICP strategy

    #podcast #BusinessGrowth #SalesStrategy #Entrepreneurship #SaaS

    Want to be a guest on Your Business Growth Podcast? Send Jeremy Shapiro a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetail/your_business_growth_podcast

    🔔 Subscribe today to get notified of new episodes, interviews, and shorts when they drop!

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    47 mins
  • The Billion Dollar Oracle, Ari Rastegar
    Apr 14 2026

    What happens when you stop charging upfront fees—and tie your entire business to performance?In this episode of Your Business Growth Podcast, Jeremy Shapiro sits down with Ari Rastegar, founder of Rastegar Capital, who shares how aligning investor success with his own transformed his business—and helped him scale from a law student building houses to managing a billion-dollar real estate portfolio.Ari began his journey while still in law school, taking on risky real estate deals with little experience and learning everything in real time. After early wins and failures, he transitioned into institutional-level investing, raising capital, structuring deals, and eventually building a vertically integrated real estate platform.But along the way, he made a key decision: move away from fee-heavy models and instead build a performance-driven business where he only wins when investors win.That shift led to:✔️ Stronger investor trust and long-term relationships✔️ More disciplined deal selection and risk management✔️ Alignment between performance and profitability✔️ Scalable growth into a multi-billion dollar development pipelineIn this episode, we break down:✔️ Why traditional fee-based real estate models can misalign incentives✔️ How Ari raised capital early without experience or track record✔️ The crawl → walk → run framework for scaling any business✔️ Why most entrepreneurs underestimate psychological resilience✔️ How vertical integration builds long-term competitive advantage✔️ The role of mindset, failure, and adaptability in business growthIf you're a real estate investor, entrepreneur, or operator trying to scale while managing risk, this episode will reshape how you think about growth, alignment, and long-term success.👉 Connect with Ari Rastegar: • Rastegar Capital: https://rastegarcapital.com/ • Ari Rastegar on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arirastegar/ • Book – The Gift of Failure: https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Failure-Turn-Missteps-Success/dp/1544523211📊 Hosted by: Jeremy B. Shapiro, Host and Author, Your Business Growth Playbook (https://yourbusinessgrowthplaybook.com/) Chapters:00:00 From law school to real estate investing03:20 First deal with no experience08:40 Scaling into institutional investing14:10 The KPMG building deal breakdown20:00 Raising capital without a track record26:30 Crawl → walk → run business model32:00 The real risks entrepreneurs ignore38:10 Why performance-based models win44:20 Fee structures vs investor alignment50:30 Building a vertically integrated platform56:00 Mental resilience in business1:02:00 Lessons from failure and setbacks1:08:00 Final insights and takeawaysKeywords: Ari Rastegar, real estate investing, capital raising, private equity real estate, performance based investing, real estate development, vertical integration, business growth, entrepreneurship mindset, scaling a business#podcast #RealEstateInvesting #BusinessGrowth #Entrepreneurship #PrivateEquity🔔 Subscribe today to get notified of new episodes, interviews, and shorts when they drop!


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    55 mins